To Sing Frogs

Some children in Russian orphanages will be forever changed by an adoption—and some will be left behind. To Sing Frogs, a memoir authored by John M. Simmons, tells the deeply personal tale of the Simmons family and their quest to adopt five children from rural Russia. Readers venture deep into Russia to explore the world of international adoption and catch a glimpse of the Simmons family’s journey towards trust and acceptance, despite unexplainable circumstances.

To Sing Frogs tells the story of transformation in a father’s heart, inspired by his wife Amy and daughter Sarah, a child who suffers great guilt from being one of few rescued from the Russian orphanage. Simmons takes readers on a heart-warming journey, chronicling Sarah’s transformation from a Russian orphanage to American living and an unexpected reunion of her two best friends Simmons thought she would never see again.

As a realist, the memoir showcases Simmons as he traverses from a position of science and engineering, where all things seem explainable, to a realization that some things might never be completely understood—and maybe aren’t supposed to be.